My name is: Charlie
I came from: Cyprus
Now I live in: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
My favourite things are: Cuddles, sofas, toys and walks
Follow me on Instagram: @hollyandcharlielife

Charlie’s story

I had been thinking about adopting a second dog for a little while, filling in application forms for other rescues but getting nowhere. A few months later, I was browsing Underdog's website and immediately, Charlie caught my eye - he was stunning! Reading his write up, he seemed like the perfect dog. One thing that was a requirement for me was a dog that wasn't overly boisterous, as Holly, my other dog, was a bit timid.

I contacted Eve and was sent some further info on Charlie, and in particular, his leishmania, which is something that can often put people off when adopting. After doing a load of research and learning that the leishmania can be controlled and monitored, I decided to proceed with the adoption. I couldn't pass up on such an amazing dog because of a slight medical condition!

About a month later, Charlie arrived in the UK. I expected him to be super nervous and for him to need a load of time to settle in, but he made himself at home straight away, spending the first night cuddled up to me in bed. I think I was lucky in the sense that Charlie had been in a lovely foster home prior to his arrival, the biggest difficulty I had was encouraging Holly to not be scared of him! Fast forward ten months and they have really warmed up to each other, even if he does steal her toys!

One of my favourite things about Charlie is how affectionate he is. He loves his cuddles! When we're out and about and someone wants to say hello to him, he has an adorable habit of standing on his hind legs and cuddling in to people. Being a spaniel type however, he loves to follow his nose and can unfortunately only be let off lead in enclosed spaces as his recall when he gets scent of something is basically non-existent.

Charlie stayed on allopurinol (the drug to monitor his leishmania) for about seven months after he arrived in the UK, and following some really good blood results and the advice of our vets, he came off of this and has been doing great since.

I genuinely couldn't be more grateful for the team at Underdog allowing me to adopt Charlie, he's a perfect fit and we couldn't be without him now!

- Amy